Dear Humans,
I am back to share tips with you on how to handle fakes. Firstly, you understood the dangers of using counterfeit products greatly surpasses the economic bargains you can get out of it. Chemical burns on your faces and the release of toxic fumes into the atmosphere would be detrimental to you and the environment.
How can you tell if it is a fake?
- Check the packaging
- Look out for package discolouration, usual fonts, spelling mistakes and irregular illustrations
- Counterfeit products won’t provide all the detail an authentic brand will, such as the full ingredients list, name of the product, and translations of the ingredients list
Source: Mystic Beauty
- Check for a serial code
- Only authentic products would have batch codes printed on the product
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- Make sure the serial number on the product matches the one on the packaging
- If shopping online, contact the seller and ask them to provide you with photographs of the product and its serial code
Source: Brightside Magazine
- Check the shades of the product
- Formula for certain shades for authentic products might not be achievable by counterfeit
- Watch out for products with different shades to the authentic
Source: Behind Green Eyes
- Check for smell or consistency
- Apart from checking the shades of the beauty products, you should also check for the smell and consistency
- Foul or chemical smells can easily give away counterfeit products
Source: Brightside Magazine
- Check for reviews
- Look out for reviews from past customers about their experience with the product
- Many online shopping platforms have a function for buyers to leave their reviews after receiving their products (as shown in the previous post)
- Know your retailer
- Check whether retailer is trustworthy and and avoid buying from unknown buyers
- You are more likely to purchase a cheap fake from a street stall selling it with 50% price marked down
- Know that there is no free lunch
- Retail price for genuine products are usually higher due to its high quality ingredients and branding
- Finding a bargain online may not be the best as chances of it being a fake is high
Now I hope that you understand how to spot counterfeit products better and what should you do if you accidentally bought one?
- You can notify the seller and clarify with them why the product you paid for is not what you thought it should be. Give the sellers a chance to explain themselves first.
- Inform the online platform about the fake product. Allow them to handle the unethical seller.
- Do not use the product. You never know what could happen to your skin. The extra $5 off is not worth burning your skin.
- Leave a review if you can to warn the next victim.
I hope you are better equipped with knowledge on how to deal with counterfeit beauty products and shop wisely!
Happy vibes,
Mother Nature
References:
Small, D. (2019, December 18). 7 Ways To Tell If Your Cosmetics Are Counterfeit. Eluxe Magazine. https://eluxemagazine.com/beauty/7-ways-to-tell-if-your-cosmetics-are-counterfeit/
Brightside Magazine. (n.d.) 7 Clever Tips to Spot Fake Designer Makeup. https://brightside.me/inspiration-girls-stuff/7-clever-tips-to-spot-fake-designer-makeup-232060/